The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is the longest canal in Northern England at 127 miles long. The first of the trans-Pennine canals it took 46 years to build at a cost of five times the original budget, mainly because of the length and complexity of the route. It passes through 91 locks with a summit level of 487 feet at Foulridge near Nelson and Colne. It was originally conceived in the 18th century to carry woollen goods from Leeds and Bradford and limestone from Skipton but in its 19th century heyday it carried stone, coal and many other goods. The impact of the railways was not as great as with other canals and commercial traffic continued along the main canal until 1964. Regular work stopped in 1972 when the movement of coal to Wigan Power Station ceased. In the latter part of the 20th century the leisure potential of the canal was developed and it is now a popular destination for cruising, fishing, walking and cycling. See Link for detailed information.

The works, situated on the River Aire, treats most of the sewage from the city of Bradford. It was constructed between 1906 and 1926, as the Bradford Beck did not have enough flow to dilute the final effluent from a growing city and all its factories. In recent times it has been equipped with an activated sludge plant and sludge incinerator.

Most of the effluent reaches the works through a tunnel nearly three miles long under the hill between Frizinghall and Esholt; legend has it that the Lord Mayor of Bradford drove his car through the tunnel to declare it open. It once had an extensive network of (probably narrow gauge) railways, of which there is now little trace.

See Link for many detailed photos of the site by someone who was given privileged access.

At one time the site also included Yorkshire Water's own in-house training centre (I recall doing my sewer evacuation training in a 'false' sewer tunnel there!)